Letters
by reckiewriter
Summary: The Senior Staff of the West Wing recieve letters from Leo McGarry's daughters 5th grade class.  What questions did they ask?  How will the staff respond?
1. Chapter 1

Leo McGarry looked at his friend and shrugged his shoulders.

"She is your God Daughter." Leo reminded.

"Yet, she is your daughter." President Josiah Bartlett fired back. The two men sat for a time in companionable silence before Jed took the envelope from his friend and opened it. Letters fell out onto his desk.

"You don't have to approve this you know." Leo suggested. His daughter had approached him a few weeks ago with the hope that he would be able to get idea to fly with the Senior Staff of the White House.

"I know, but the kids in Mallory's class worked hard on these letters. Look there is even one addressed to you." Jed pulled out the one with Leo's name on it.

"Mallory told me that one of her students had drawn my name." Leo nodded.

"How will we break this to the staff?" Jed asked.

"I guess the question will be is how will you break it to the staff." Leo countered. "You are the one that has to approve the project."

"Approve what project?" Josh Lyman asked as he came into the Oval Office followed by the rest of the Senior staff.

"Mallory's class has written letters to the Senior Staff. Apparently everyone has a letter from the best ones in the class. Mallory's already corrected spelling and punctuation. I haven't gone over them personally for content, but I'd like each one of you to take the letter addressed to you and write the children back." Jed paused and looked over to Sam Seaborn. "It might be nice since the last class Mallory brought here for a tour had some difficulties." Sam shifted slightly but didn't make any attempt of a response.

"Do the letters have to long?" C.J Cregg asked. She was swamped with her own work most days and reading letters from a fifth grader really wasn't on her high priority list.

"No, they can be short, but I would like you to answer their questions as honestly as possible. No writing about national secrets and don't mention anything about my eating habits. Just answer their questions if you can." Jed suggested. As the President started to hand out letter he noticed that some of the support staff had been included in the letters. "Now onto the rest of our meeting, Toby can you start." Jed suggested and the group got down to agenda of the day.

Leo looked down at the letter in his hand. A few quiet moments in the afternoon found him thinking about his daughter and her students. He was proud of his daughter and all the hard work she put into being a teacher. He wasn't surprised that she had thought up this assignment, but at the same time he wasn't sure what type of response he'd be able to give. Sighing Leo opened the letter.

_Dear Mr. McGarry,_

_Today is the first day of our letter assignment and I got your name. Miss O'Brian told me that you have the most important job outside of the President at the White House. I feel that you are the best person to write to because I am also in politics. School politics actually, I am the Class President and feel that I am the best leader of my fellow classmates._

_I also want to be President of the United States one day, but would actually run for Vice President first because I would then have the opportunity to be part of the country's leadership for eight years instead of just four. _

_Miss O'Brian says that your are the best friend of the President. That sounds like a hard job too. Having a best friend be your boss would be tough. _

_I am supposed to ask you questions, but I'm having a hard time thinking of any so I'll just ask you the easy ones. _

_What does your office look like? Is it very big? Do you get to have a personal Secret Service agent or do you have to share one? What is riding in the Presidential Limo feel like? Do you get to order the entire staff around for the Presidents. What exactly is your job?_

_Well Miss O'Brian said that this letter only had to be on page long, so I'm finished._

_Please if you get this letter would you write me back? My Nanny says that it is polite to send a self addressed stamped envelope if you want anything to be returned, but I told her that it was a writing assignment and not a real letter technically so that rule doesn't count. _

_Yours Truly _

_Gregory Fozzel the III_

Leo looked over the letter again before laughing softly. Mallory had her hands full if the children were all like this he thought as he pulled out some of the thick White House bonded paper to scratch what he hoped would be a short response. Although the boy hadn't asked a lot of questions, some of the questions were large ones that couldn't be answered directly

"Leo could you sign these? " Margaret, Leo's personal assistant, asked as she came into his office carrying several files

"Mow many do I have to sign?'" Leo asked as he took the files

"Apparently the first two pages of the seven folders." Margaret told him and Leo sighed.

"Right now?"

"Three pages are waiting as we speak to run them back." Margaret nodded. Leo opened the files and started to sign them while Margaret stood over him.

"Before you leave the President wanted me to give you this letter. It's from one of the children in Mallory's class. If you find the time, maybe you could answer the letter."

"Really?" Margaret took the letter and started to open it, she never got these types of requests and was eager to see what the letter read.

"Not here Margaret, take it back to your desk and when you have a spare moment you can read it."

"I never get a spare moment around here." Margaret sighed and left with the files. Leo only nodded his head. He new that everyone was busy around here, not just the President.

_Dear Mr. Fozzel,_

_This may be of interest to you but I am sitting in my office reading your letter. I do enjoy getting letters that are not always addressed to the President. I am pleased to learn that you are the Class President and have good leadership skills. That is one of the first thing that a potential world leader needs to have and work on developing early in their lives._

_I suppose I should get right down to answering your questions regarding my job. My office is large and mostly brown in colour. My window faces the rose garden an in the spring I can enjoy the the flowers from my desk. One of the most interesting things about my office is that I have doorway that leads right into the Oval Office so I don't have o walk the long way around if I want to talk with the President._

_Yes I am close friends to the President and help him with some of the many choices he has to make. The final choice is always the President, I just advise. Part of my job is to over see all the staff employed here at the White House. I have several people under me that also help with this so I am not over worked with human resources. I have other jobs, but I am unable to share those with you at this time. _

_I do have a personal Secret Service agent who follows me around all the time. The Limo is quite large and black but outside of that I can not tell you much because the security around the car is classified. _

_I hope that this answered some of your questions. Thank you for your interest and your letter._

_Regards_

_Leo McGarry, Chief of Staff_


	2. Chapter 2

"Earth to CJ." CJ startled out of her thoughts at the familiar voice and saw Sam Seaborn standing in the doorway.

"What?" CJ snapped.

"I've been calling your name for the past few minutes. What are you so focused on?"

"Work."

"Work written on light pink paper and purple pen?" Sam asked as he came further into CJ's office and leaned over her desk.

"Does it matter?" CJ snapped back.

"No, but work looks more like the letter writing assignment from Mallory's class than the press briefing of the last President tax cut proposals."

"I've already completed the brief about the above mention tax cut proposal." CJ lifted the papers on her desk.

"So, what about the letter. Have you read it?"

"Yes." CJ returned.

"Can I read it?" Sam asked with more interest.

"Letters are private Sam. I'm taking this request seriously although not as enthusiastically as you are. I'm going to answer the letter and give it back finished as asked." CJ closed the letter and shoved it into her desk drawer so Sam couldn't snoop any further. "Have you read your letter yet?"

"Nah not yet, I haven't had any time today."

"Well if you'd leave me alone, I think I'd like to respond the letter just in case the world decides to fall apart this afternoon and I don't get it done."

"I'll leave you to it." Sam nodded. "I don't think it's such a bad idea to share the letters, Mallory has already read them."

"Go Sam, I'm working."

"I'm leaving!" Sam returned and walked out of her office leaving CJ alone again, CJ pulled the letter out of her drawer and looked down words that are written.

**_Dear Ms. Crieg,_**

**_My name is Stacey Alberts and I am eleven years old. Ms O'Brian has created a new way to do creative writing assignment this year. We drew names of all the staff in the West Wing and I got yours. At first I didn't know who you were and what your job was, so Ms O'Brian told me to go home and watch C-Span after dinner. When I got home from school, my dad asked what I had for homework and I told him that I had to watch some C-Span on TV. My dad started to ask me questions about why I needed to watch a channel about politics when I wasn't old enough to vote. I told him it was a homework assignment, and he just shook his head and sat down in his chair and watched C-Span with me._**

**_Did you know that when you finally came onto the TV I thought you looked really pretty? My dad even said that you were the best looking Press Secretary that this country as ever had. He said that the President was a very smart man to have you on TV because if makes divorced men like him want to watch C-Span and maybe even learn something on the way. (My dad said not to share that last sentence with you because he didn't think you needed to know that. Ms O'Brian said that this was an important assignment so I'm telling the entire story.)_**

**_Oh yah, I almost forgot the question part of the letter. Do you get nervous when you get up in front of all those reporters? Do you have to go on television every time you have a press conference? Do you have a favourite reporter? Do you like your job? My dad always says it's important to like what you do._**

**_I thank you for your time and for reading this letter._**

**_Stacy Alberts_**

**_P.S. One more question. My dad, while watching C-Span with me wanted to know if you are dating anyone right now?_**

CJ laughed out loud at the last line and turned to her computer to type out the response. Thinking better of it CJ found some personal correspondence paper and jotted down the letter by hand.

_**Dear Miss Alberts,**_

_**Than you for your charming letter. I always think that letters written on pink paper with purple ink reflect positively on young girls today. I'm glad to see that you listened to your teacher and did some research on who I was before you wrote me your letter. You dad is right about the fact that people your age don't really need to watch C-Span.**_

_**I've come up with the following answers to your questions.**_

_**The first time I ever was in front of a camera and talked to the reporters about an issue facing the President I was very nervous. I had to hold onto the edges of the podium (That's the tall thing I stand behind if you didn't already know) for fear of my legs giving way because of the shaking. I have become less nervous, and only if the topic I'm sharing is about something really had, do I problems with my job. So on the whole, I like my job. I am recorded by the White House every time I have a press conference. Sometimes the information is shared on the main television stations, but most of the time people only watch me on C-Span.**_

CJ stopped mid letter and contemplated sharing with the young girl her interesting relationship with Danny, but chose not to add that to the letter. Looking over at the gold fish on her shelf CJ resumed.

_**I don't have any favourite reporter, but some reporters ask better questions then others. As for your father's questions, no I'm not married, but dating is hard due to the hours and demands of this position.**_

_**Thank you for writing and sharing your questions. I hope that you enjoy getting this letter the same way I enjoyed reading yours.**_

_**Respectfully yours,**_

_**Claudia Jean (CJ) Crieg.**_

Folding the letter up and placing it in an envelope, CJ walked it over to Leo's office.

"You're the second one to finish the letter," Leo shared as CJ handed him the envelope.

"Well I must admit the letter was interesting and writing her back was fun." CJ nodded. "Who was the first person to finish?"

"I was." Leo smiled.

"I thought so." CJ bowed our of his office and headed back to work,


	3. Chapter 3

"Josh, have you remembered to sign the papers I left on your desk earlier?" Donna Moss asked as she came into Josh's office. Jumping slightly, Josh looked up at his assistant.

"Don't you every knock?" Josh asked sharply.

"You never answer the door when I knock. What's the point when the door is already open?"

"Well close the door now!" Josh returned.

Instead of doing as she was told Donna replied calmly. "Listen it's really important that you review the papers I left on your desk, they are for your meeting at two on the hill." Donna reminded and then looked to see what Josh had been doing while she tried to right out the memo he requested about some work place inspection. The letter that had been written to him by one of the school kids lay on top of all the other paperwork on his desk.

"I'm reading the letter from Mallory's class. This kid sees this assignment as one big joke. She should go into comedy writing our something when she's older as I would think politics is something that she should avoid."

"I haven't read mine yet. I was waiting for my lunch break so I could read it without anyone interrupting me." Donna started. "Although at the pace you're going with your own paper work I probably won't get my lunch break because I'll be in here waiting for you follow through with the work so you won't look foolish at your meeting this afternoon." Donna reminded.

"I'll go over the files before two, I promise. Is there anything else you want me for, or are you wasting valuable work time harassing me?" Josh pulled the paperwork out from under some other things on his desk and waved it towards Donna.

"I don't waste time." Donna informed and then turned to go. "If I didn't remind you about the meeting you'd still be sitting in here doing what ever you do when you want your door closed."

"Close the door now Donna, and go find some work to do." Josh sighed and Donna left the office

Josh turned back to the letter and read the child's missive again.

_Dear Mr. Joshua Lyman,_

_This is not my first letter to the Whitehouse. The first letter was to the President, but it has been several months and I have not heard back from him. Although Ms. O'Brian claims that she has friends in the Whitehouse, I am only writing this letter because it is an assignment, and I have no real expectations that this letter will be responded too. (Ms. O'Brian, if you are the only one that is going to read this letter could you please give me a really good grade on it? I didn't do so well on the last assignment and if I don't keep my grade up I won't be able to stay on the soccer team this fall.) Sorry Mr Lyman about that little side comment I just wanted to make sure that covered all the basis with this letter. _

_So, while doing my research for this letter, I came to understand that you are the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Bartlett Administration and I hope you can answer my questions._

_Ms O'Brian suggested that we think of questions that you could answer, and well I have a bunch. First one is why doesn't the President return his letters? Heck, I have Ms. O'Brian as a teacher, and apparently she's known the President since she was a kid. My older sisters say that its because he is so bsy, but really Mr. Lyman you can tell me the truth, the President doesn't like to write letters right? Well anyway, I guess another question could be is what has been the best part of working at the Whitehouse? Has the President crashed into anymore trees lately? Did you know that both my parents are Democrats? You should hear the way they talk about the government; they have friends that come over and debate stuff all the time. I keep quiet most of the time during their debates, because I kinda like the President, he seems to care about lots of different things including kids. I say seems, because he hasn't returned my letter in which I asked some important kid like questions to him. _

_My mother is screaming for me to come for dinner, so I have to stop writing this letter. I'm going outside to practice kicking the soccer ball against the side of the garage, I can't do it anymore against the house because I knocked some china plate off the wall and my mom got really mad and told me I couldn't do that anymore. _

_Well, if you have time, respond to my letter, if not I'll just add you to the list of Whitehouse people who don't return letters._

_Hope you have a nice day._

_Chloe Jenkins._

Josh shook his head and smiled at the last few lines, and turned on his computer. The screen went to the word processor and he typed an honest reply to the girl who wanted a letter returned to her so badly.

_Dear Cloe,_

_Just so you know that this is an honest to goodness letter from Joshua Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff, I'll tell you a little secret. My older sister loved to play soccer when she was kid. She also enjoyed music and conducted songs off records in her room. I think that you and my sisters would have been friends had you been born about twenty five years ago._

_One of my favourite stories about working in the Whitehouse would have to be the time, CJ Crieg went home early one evening a week before Thanksgiving. She had been gone for awhile when this farmer guy came into the West Wing with two huge turkeys. They were real live turkeys, and we didn't know where to put them at first, but figured since CJ had left early her office was a good place to put them. When CJ came into work the next morning she nearly had a heart attack when she found them in her office. IT was very funny and although she was really made and upset with us for doing that, she finally came around and found the humour in it. No the President hasn't crashed into anymore trees lately, he's not allowed to ride his bike anymore. _

_It's alright that your parents are Democrats. We all need to choose whom we want to vote for in our lives, and when you are older and able to vote you can choose what you want to do, that is the wonderful thing about our country. Right now I'm glad that you like the President, although he will not be running for office when you are old enough to vote. As for the reason the President hasn't responded to your letter is that he probably hasn't seen it. The President gets so many letters, that most of them are not returned right away. You probably will get a thank you letter in the mail from the Whitehouse for your correspondence with a picture of the President but that will probably be it. I'll look into the letter thing since I know were to check and maybe you might get something else too._

_I hope that you get a better mark on this letter assignment as I don't want you to loose out on playing on the schools soccer team._

_Sincerely_

_Joshua Lyman_

Josh hit the print button and the letter was printed out and stuck the response letter into a Whitehouse envelope. He took Chloe's letter and put it in his top drawer of his desk so he could read it again. Looking at the clock on the wall, Josh turned back to the work that Donna had been harassing him about, it wasn't often that Donna was wrong about things, and we wasn't up to hearing I told you so from his assistant if he didn't review the paperwork before his meeting.


End file.
